Link separator

ABSTRACT

A link separator for severing a continuous link or chain of frankfurters or similar articles at successive joining segments comprising a pair of opposed, spaced-apart idler or drag wheels followed by a pair of opposed, spaced-apart, floating, powered feed wheels, the said wheels defining a generally axial path through which a chain of unsevered frankfurters feeds, a mechanical finger on the emergent side of the feed wheels engageable with the frankfurters passing therethrough, the finger deflecting as joining segments pass, a rotary knife positioned to sever the joining segments proximal to the finger, the finger being operatively connected to means controlling the rotary knife in timed relationship to the passage of joining segments, and a pair of spaced-apart, floating, power driven continuous belts on the emergent side of the knife to discharge the severed frankfurters from the apparatus.

lJnite States Patent Berendt et al.

[ 1 Mar. 7, 1972 [54] LINK SEPARATOR [72] Inventors: Gerald C. Berendt,32 Dale Drive, Chatham Township, NJ. 07928; Leslie 18. Melanson, BayIsle Drive, Point Pleasant, NJ. 08742 [22] Filed: July 30, 1969 [21]Appl.No.: 846,042

Primary Examiner-Lucie l-l. Laudenslager Attorney-Popper, Bain, Bobis &Gilfillan [5 7] ABSTRACT A link separator for severing a continuous linkor chain of frankfurters or similar articles at successive joiningsegments comprising a pair of opposed, spaced-apart idler or drag wheelsfollowed by a pair of opposed, spaced-apart, floating, powered feedwheels, the said wheels defining a generally axial path through which achain of unsevered frankfurters feeds, a mechanical finger on theemergent side of the feed wheels engageable with the frankfurterspassing therethrough, the finger deflecting as joining segments pass, arotary knife positioned to sever the joining segments proximal to thefinger, the finger being operatively connected to means controlling therotary knife in timed relationship to the passage of joining segments,and a pair of spaced-apart, floating, power driven continuous belts onthe emergent side of the knife to discharge the severed frankfurtersfrom the apparatus.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUMAR 7 i972 SHEET 1 OF 5 lNVliN'l(JRS GERALD C. BERENDT LESLIE B4 MELANSON ATTORNEYS PATENTEUMAR 7 I972SHEET 2 OF 5 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS PAIENTEBMAR 71972 8. 646,637

SHEET 3 OF 5 FIG. 4

FIG. 3

[NV/JV! 0R5 GERALD C. BERENDT LESLIE B. MELANSON BYFPWJCQM; 53%.

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDMAR 7 m2 3,646,637

sum u [1F 5 INVIZN'IURS GERALD C. BERENDT BY 7 LESLIE B. MELANSONATTORNEYS PAIENTEDMAR 71972 3,646,637

SHEET 5 OF 5 CL UTCH BRA/(E FIG. 6'

24 VDC [NV/5A."! (2K5: GERALD C. BERENDT LESLIE B, MELANSON ATTORNEYSLINK SEPARATOR BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Frankfurters or like articles aremanufactured by forcing a homogeneous, fluid mass into an elongatedcasing. The length of the frankfurter is determined by the twisting ortying off of the casing periodically along its length creatingindividual frankfurters joined by intermediate joining segments.

It is customary to sever a link or chain or frankfurters into individualnumbers by hand which is both tedious and time consuming. In order tosever the link or chain automatically, a number of sophisticatedproblems must be solved.

The principal problem involves the proper timing of the severing means,usually a knife with the passage of the joining segments. This problemis complicated by the fact that there are wide variations in the lengthof individual frankfurter segments as well as the length of joiningsegments in any given chain or link. Thus, it is impossible to employ afixed, timebase for operation of the severing knife. Means must beprovided to detect the presence of each joining segment which meansactuate a severing knife.

The severing knife must respond within a predetermined, precisely fixedperiod of time relative to the forward progression of the frankfurterchain. Nevertheless, the knife must have sufiicient speed and momentumto sever the joining segments rapidly, without interfering with theforward progression of the chain.

It has also been found that frankfurters tend to bunch as they approachthe severing station thereby shortening the joining segment, sometimessufficiently to cause adjacent frankfurters to touch. This, in turn,makes the timing of the knife too critical with the result that thefrankfurter itself may be severed rather than joining segment. Thus,means must be provided to maintain sufficient separation betweenfrankfurters at the severing station.

An excessively long separation between frankfurters also createsproblems. If the knife continues to operate while a joining segment ispresent at the detection station, it will lose timing with respect tosubsequent frankfurters. Movement of the knife to effect severancerequires a finite period of time. If the knife commences a secondmovement for the same joining segment it is likely to reach the cuttingstation after the joining segment has moved on, thereby severing thenext frankfurter. Thus, means must be provided to permit only one fullmovement of the knife for each joining segment detected.

The passage of the last frankfurter in the chain also presents problems.While a frankfurter is yet attached to another frankfurter to its rear,it passes the detection station in a straight line. However, the lastfrankfurter tends to move out of line, thereby prematurely actuating thesevering knife to sever a portion of the last frankfurter. Thus, meansmust be provided to center the last frankfurter as it passes thedetection station.

All of the above problems must be solved by an apparatus which issufficiently simple and rugged to be operated by unskilled persons whoare likely to treat it roughly. In addition, those portions of themachine exposed to food must be easily dismantled for cleaning and befabricated of material which is nontoxic or attacked by food chemicals.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION A link separator comprising means for feeding to asevering station a chain of articles joined together by joining segmentsof reduced dimension, a rotary knife at the cutting station rotatable ina plane generally perpendicular to and across the path of movement ofjoining segments, a finger engageable with the articles and joiningsegments proximal to the cutting station, control means for rotating theknife through the arc of fixed length, the finger being operativelyconnected to the said control means to actuate rotation of the knifewhen the finger engages a joining segment, the response time of theknife being timed to the axial velocity of the said chain to sever thechain at its joining segment, and means for discharging severed articlesfrom the cutting station.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION The objects and advantages aforesaid,as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the linkseparator claimed herein, a preferred embodiment of which is illustratedin the drawing in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational cross-sectional view of the link separatortaken along line l-1 in FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational, cross-sectional view the separator takenalong line 33 in FIG. 1; looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational cross-sectional view taken along line 44 inFIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5in F IG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of the circuit controlling the linkseparator.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the link separator comprises agenerally rectangular, hollow but closed housing 11 having a top 12. Anupstanding wall 13 is mounted on top of the top 12 and a generallyvertically depending wall 14 is mounted on the bottom thereof beneathwall 13. The chain of frankfurters enters from the left in FIG. 1 andemerges from the right. The cutting station is located proximal to wall13.

Means are provided to feed a chain of frankfurters past the cuttingstation from left to right in FIGS. 1 and 2. The said means comprise amotor driven external shiv 15 which drives shaft 16 and main drive gear17. Drive gear 17, in turn, drives a pair of gears 18 and 19 on oppositesides thereof as best illustrated in FIG. 5.

Gears l8 and 19 are coupled to and drive generally parallel, horizontalshafts 20 and 21 respectively. Shafts 20 and 21 are rotatably mountedbetween depending support wall 22 and end wall 23 of housing '11extending through depending center wall 14. Shafts 20 and 21 drive meansfor feeding a chain or link of frankfurters to the cutting station andmeans for withdrawing the severed frankfurters from the cutting station.

The means for feeding the frankfurters to the cutting station comprise apair of opposed, spaced-apart, floating, powerdriven feed wheels 25 and26 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Each of the feed wheels 25 and 26 isprovided with a concave circumferential face 27 to accommodate thecylindrical configuration of the frankfurter. However, the specificconfiguration of the circumferential face of the drive wheels may bealtered to accommodate the configuration or consistency of the articlesbeing fed therebetween.

Each of the feed wheels 25 and 26 is connected to a generally upstandingshaft, respectively 28 and 29 which extends downwardly through slots 36and 37 in the top 12 of housing 11. Each shaft 28, 29 is rotatablycoupled to a yoke respectively 30 and 31 which is in turn rotatablycoupled to one of the respective horizontal shafts 20 and 21. Piniongears 32 and 33 are keyed to shafts 20 and 21 respectively. The piniongears 32 and 33 are engaged with worm gears 34 and 35 respectively keyedto shafts 20 and 21 respectively.

Since yokes 30 and 31 are rotatably mounted respectively on horizontalshafts 20 and 21, the upstanding shafts 28 and 29 are free to pivot in avertical plane. Appropriate slots 36 and 37 are provided in the top 12to permit such movement. A spring 38, is connected between bushings onvertical shafts 28 and 29 normally urging them towards each other. Thus,the feed wheels 25 and 26 are not only power-driven but arespring-loaded to exert pressure on frankfurters passing therebetween. Itis also to be noted that horizontal shafts 20 and 21 rotate in oppositedirections and hence feed wheels 25 and 26 rotate in opposite directionsas shown in FIG. 2.

Drag means are provided to insure a stretching of the joining segmentsfor full separation of the frankfurters as they pass the severingstation. The drag means comprise a pair of opposed, rotatable idlerwheels 39 and 40 positioned on the feed side of the feed wheels 25 and26. Idler wheels 39 and 40 lie on the same plane as feed wheels 25 and26 and define with said feed wheels an axial passage through which thefrankfurters pass. The idler wheels 39 and 40 have the samecircumferential configuration as feedwheels and 26 and thus are eachvested with a concave, circumferential face 41.

Idler wheels 39 and 40 are rotatably mounted on vertical shafts 42 and43 respectively. Shafts 42 and 43 are mounted upon arms 44 and 45respectively, which are pivotably mounted on the top 12 of housing 11.Spring 46 is connected between arms 44 and 45 normally urging the idlerwheels 39 and 40 toward each other. Optionally limit means may beprovided to limit the inward pivotal movement of idler wheels 39 and 40toward each other. The normal friction introduced by idler wheels 39 and40 is sufficient to impart a separating motion to the joining segmentsof the frankfurter chain.

The withdrawal means comprise a pair of opposed, continuous belts 47 and48 extending in a horizontal plane on the op posite side of the cuttingstation from the feed wheels 25 and 26. Belt 47 is mounted betweenwheels 49 and 50 and belt 48 is mounted between wheels 51 and 52. Wheels49 and 51 are power-driven by horizontal shafts 20 and 21 respectivelythrough a power transmission system identical to that driving feedwheels 25 and 26.

Each of the driven wheels 49 and 51 is keyed to a shaft, respectively 53and 54, which extends downwardly through appropriate slots 55 and 56 onthe top 12 of housing 11. Each of the shafts 53 and 54 is driven by oneof the horizontal shafts, 20 and 21 in the same manner. For instance,shaft 53 is rotatably coupled to a yoke 57, which, in turn, is rotatablycoupled to a shaft 20. The pinion gear 58, on the bottom of the shaft 53is engaged to a worm gear 59 on shaft 20. Spring 60 is connected betweenupstanding shafts 53 and 54 normally urging them together.

Wheels 50 and 52 idle and are mounted on vertical shafts 61 and 62respectively. Shafts 61 and 62 are mounted on arms 63 and 64respectively which are pivotably mounted on the top 12 of housing 11. Aspring connects arms 63 and 64 normally urging them together. 7

Means are provided to detect the presence of a joining segment at thecutting station which is located immediately to the right of theupstanding wall 13 in FIG. 1. The said means comprise a spring-loadedfinger 66 having a depending offset tip 67. Finger 66 is pivotablymounted on a support 68 which is rigidly mounted on the upstandingcenter wall 13. A spring 69 biases the end of finger 66 so that theoffset tip 67 normally lies in the path of the frankfurters emergingfrom between feed rollers 25 and 26.

An upstanding switch trip 70 is mounted on top of the finger 66intermediate its ends. The trip 70 comprises a stantion 71 looselymounted on the finger 66 having a coil spring 72 mounted thereon. Thecoil spring 72 is engaged to the finger 66 and a conical tip 73. Thebottom of the conical tip 73 is engageable with a microswitch operatinglever 74 pivotably mounted to a microswitch 75 when the finger 66 isgenerally horizontal. As the finger 66 drops, the tip 73 depresses thelever 74 actuating the microswitch 75. However, as the finger 66 dropsfurther, the spring 72 permits the stantion 71 to deflect to the rightin FIG. 1 disengaging the tip 73 from the lever 74. This in turnreleases microswitch 75. Microswitch 75 must be actuated onlymomentarily in order to permit the rotary knife 79 to pass through thecutting station only once during the passage of each joining segment.

The cutting station is illustrated in detail in FIG. 4. Frankfurtersemerging from the feed wheel 25 and 26 pass through an opening 76 in theupstanding wall 13. A pair of vertically oriented, opposed, arcuate,spring loaded centering guides 77 and 78 are located in the opening 76.

A rotary knife 79 is mounted on shaft 80 for rotation in a verticalplane, the cutting edge 81 of the knife 79 passing through the axis ofopening 76. Shaft 80 is driven through a chain 82 coupling a gear 83 onshaft 80 and a second gear 84 on output shaft 85 of a magneticclutch-brake 86. The input shaft 87 of clutch-brake 86 is driven by achain 88 connecting gear 89 on shaft 87 and gear on shaft 21. Theclutch-brake 86 is actuated by means of microswitch 75 which in turn isactuated by movement of finger 66.

The knife 79 rotates in a counterwise direction in FIG. 4. There is afinite reaction time for the knife edge 81 to travel from the restposition through the cutting point at the axis of opening 76. Thisreaction time is critical and must be maintained within narrow limitsotherwise there will be a dissynchronization between the passage of theknife edge 81 and the joining segments.

Since the reaction time is governed by the length of the are that theknife edge 81 must travel, the arc distance must be accurately governed.The clutch-brake 86 cannot arrest movement of a knife 79 with sufficientaccuracy. Thus, control means are provided to arrest movement of theknife 79.

The said knife control means comprise a cam 87 having a radial faceengageable with a pivotable arm 88. The arm 88 is pivoted by a solenoid89 through a connecting rod 90. When the solenoid 89 is energized, theconnecting rod 90 pivots arm 88 to release the cam 87. Simultaneously,the clutch-brake 86 energizes the rotary blade 79 to rotate through thejoining segment. In addition, the solenoid 86 immediately returns thepivotal arm 88 to its base position where it engages the discontinuityin can 87 to arrest rotary blade 79 in its rest position.

In operation, frankfurters are fed between a cylinder 91 and a guide 92immediately to the left of the idler rollers 39 and 40 in FIG. 1. Thefrankfurters are then pushed between idler rollers 39 and 40 over asupport platform 93. Between the idler rollers 39 and 40 and feedrollers 25 and 26 there is a microswitch lever 94 which senses thepresence of a frankfurter being slid along the support platform 93between the respective pairs of rollers. This microswitch lever 94 isadapted to close a latching relay 95 which energizes the apparatus andin particular the feed rollers 25 and 26. The feed rollers 25 and 26pick up the lead frankfurter of the chain passing it therebetween andthrough the opening 76 in wall 73 between guides 77 and 78.

As the first joining segment passes beneath the offset tip 67, thefinger 66 drops actuating microswitch 75 which in turn actuatesindicating relay 96. When the indicating relay 96 is energized solenoid89 is energized causing pivotal arm 88 to free cam 87. Simultaneouslythe clutch-brake 86 is energized rotating the knife 79.

As there has been indicated previously, the knife 79 cannot be permittedto rotate past the cutting station more than once for each joiningsegment. This is insured by means of the cone 73 which will actuatelever 74 as the finger 66 descends. The spring 71 permits the shaft 70to tip to one side so that the cone 73 disengages lever 74 therebyreturning microswitch 75 to its rest position. it is necessary to returnthe pivotal arm 88 to the rest position to engage the discontinuity oncam 87 thereby arresting the rotation of rotary blade 79 at its restposition.

There is also a switch 98 actuated by rotation of the cam 87. When theflat of the cam 87 is reached mechanical switch 98 coupled with thelever 88 deenergizes the clutch-brake 86. Of course, the cam 87continues to rotate until the discontinuity engages the tip of thepivotal arm 88. Thus, means are provided to energize the rotation of theblade or knife 79 when the joining segment is detected at the cuttingstation as well as means to arrest movement of the knife 79 after itpasses through the cutting station only once.

As the last frankfurter passes lever 94 of microswitch 93, means must beprovided to continue operation of the withdrawing means until the lastfrankfurter has been discharged. Such means comprise a lever formicroswitch 99 extending upwardly through a support platform 100 betweenthe belts 47 and 48. Obviously, microswitch 99 will be closed until thelast frankfurter has been discharged from between belts 47 and 48.Microswitch 99 maintains energy to the apparatus while depressedinsuring full power until the last frankfurter has been withdrawn.

A main on-off switch 101 may be provided to supply energy to aconventional 24-volt DC power source 102. The shiv 15 is driven by motor103 activated by relay 104 and is maintained in operation by closure ofmicroswitch 99 through the same relay 104 until the last frankfurter hascleared the apparatus.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodimentof the invention. The component parts have been shown and described.They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similarfunction; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for thesaid components and may have actually been known or invented before thepresent invention.

We claim:

1. A link separator comprising,

a. means for continuously feeding to a severing station a chain ofarticles joined together by joining segments of reduced dimension,

b. a radially elongated, relatively thin knife rotatable through an arcof 360in a plane intersecting the path of movement of the joiningsegments, at least a portion of the knife passing through the path ofmovement of each joining segment at the severing station,

c. a movable finger engageable with the articles immediately proximal tothe severing station on the side from which the articles eminate,

d. control means for initiating and positively arresting rotation of theknife at precisely the same predetermined angular position for eachpassage of a joining segment past the severing station,

. the finger being operatively connected to said control means toinitiate rotation of the knife when the finger moves to engage a joiningsegment,

f. the response time of the knife being timed to the axial velocity ofthe chain of articles to sever the chain at each of itsjoining segments,and

means for discharging severed articles from the severing station.

A link separator comprising,

the structure in accordance with claim 1, and a generally upstanding,axially tiltable self-erecting post mounted on top of the finger,

a radially enlarged tip on top of the post, the tip having a cam surfaceon one side and a generally flat bottom, the

bottom of the top being engageable with switch actuating means, theswitch being operatively connected to the said control means,

d. the bottom of the post disengaging the actuating means afteractuationing the same,

. the post tilting on the finger in response to engagement of the saidcam surface with the said actuating means as the finger engages eacharticle until the bottom of the tip becomes reengagable with saidactuating means.

. A link separator comprising,

. the structure in accordance with claim 1, and

. a rotatable shaft, one end of the knife being mounted on the shaft forrotation therewith,

c. continuously operating power means for driving said shaft,

d. transmission operatively connected between said power means andshaft, the transmission means including intermittantly engageable clutchmeans,

(TDD

e. the said control means being operatively connected to the said shaft.

4. A link separator comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 3 in which b. the said controlmeans are a cam mounted on the said shaft for rotation therewith, and

c. an abrupt discontinuity on the cam,

d. means to engage and disengage the said discontinuity operable inresponse to a signal generated by movement of the finger to engage ajoining segment.

5. A link separator comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the said meansfor continuously feeding the chain of articles is at least one pair ofopposed, power-driven, contrarotatmg members normal y spaced apart adistance less than the average width of said articles passingtherebetween, and

c. resilient means normally urging at least one of the saidcontrarotating members toward the other.

6. A link separator comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 5 in which b. both of the saidcontrarotating members is limitedly movable toward and away from thepath of movement of the articles,

c. the said resilient means normally urging each of the saidcontrarotating members toward each other.

A link separator comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the said meansfor discharging severed articles from the severing station are at leastone pair of opposed, powerdriven, contrarotating members normally spacedapart a distance less than the average width of said articles passingtherebetween, and

c. resilient means normally urging at least one of the saidcontrarotating members toward the other.

8. A link separator comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 7 in which b. both of the saidcontrarotating members is limitedly movable toward and away from thepath of movement of the article,

c. the said resilient means normally urging each of the saidcontrarotating members toward each other.

9. A link separator comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 7 in which b. the said meansfor continuously feeding the chain of articles is at least one pair ofopposed, power-driven, contrarotating members normally spaced apart adistance less than the average width of said articles passingtherethrough.

10. A link separator comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 9 in which b. both thecontrarotating members of the feeding means and the contrarotatingmembers of the discharge means are limitedly movable toward and awayfrom the path of movement of the articles, and

c. each of the said resilient means normally urge each of the respectivecontrarotating members of the feeding means and the discharge meanstoward each other.

1. A link separator comprising, a. means for continuously feeding to asevering station a chain of articles joined together by joining segmentsof reduced dimension, b. a radially elongated, relatively thin kniferotatable through an arc of 360* in a plane intersecting the path ofmovement of the joining segments, at least a portion of the knifepassing through the path of movement of each joining segment at thesevering station, c. a movable finger engageable with the articlesimmediately proximal to the severing station on the side from which thearticles eminate, d. control means for initiating and positivelyarresting rotation of the knife at precisely the same predeterminedangular position for each passage of a joining segment past the severingstation, e. the finger being operatively connected to said control meansto initiate rotation of the knife when the finger moves to engage ajoining segment, f. the response time of the knife being timed to theaxial velocity of the chain of articles to sever the chain at each ofits joining segments, and g. means for discharging severed articles fromthe severing station.
 2. A link separator comprising, a. the structureIn accordance with claim 1, and b. a generally upstanding, axiallytiltable self-erecting post mounted on top of the finger, c. a radiallyenlarged tip on top of the post, the tip having a cam surface on oneside and a generally flat bottom, the bottom of the top being engageablewith switch actuating means, the switch being operatively connected tothe said control means, d. the bottom of the post disengaging theactuating means after actuationing the same, e. the post tilting on thefinger in response to engagement of the said cam surface with the saidactuating means as the finger engages each article until the bottom ofthe tip becomes reengagable with said actuating means.
 3. A linkseparator comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 1, andb. a rotatable shaft, one end of the knife being mounted on the shaftfor rotation therewith, c. continuously operating power means fordriving said shaft, d. transmission operatively connected between saidpower means and shaft, the transmission means including intermittantlyengageable clutch means, e. the said control means being operativelyconnected to the said shaft.
 4. A link separator comprising, a. thestructure in accordance with claim 3 in which b. the said control meansare a cam mounted on the said shaft for rotation therewith, and c. anabrupt discontinuity on the cam, d. means to engage and disengage thesaid discontinuity operable in response to a signal generated bymovement of the finger to engage a joining segment.
 5. A link separatorcomprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. thesaid means for continuously feeding the chain of articles is at leastone pair of opposed, power-driven, contrarotating members normallyspaced apart a distance less than the average width of said articlespassing therebetween, and c. resilient means normally urging at leastone of the said contrarotating members toward the other.
 6. A linkseparator comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 5 inwhich b. both of the said contrarotating members is limitedly movabletoward and away from the path of movement of the articles, c. the saidresilient means normally urging each of the said contrarotating memberstoward each other.
 7. A link separator comprising, a. the structure inaccordance with claim 1 in which b. the said means for dischargingsevered articles from the severing station are at least one pair ofopposed, power-driven, contrarotating members normally spaced apart adistance less than the average width of said articles passingtherebetween, and c. resilient means normally urging at least one of thesaid contrarotating members toward the other.
 8. A link separatorcomprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 7 in which b. bothof the said contrarotating members is limitedly movable toward and awayfrom the path of movement of the article, c. the said resilient meansnormally urging each of the said contrarotating members toward eachother.
 9. A link separator comprising, a. the structure in accordancewith claim 7 in which b. the said means for continuously feeding thechain of articles is at least one pair of opposed, power-driven,contrarotating members normally spaced apart a distance less than theaverage width of said articles passing therethrough.
 10. A linkseparator comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 9 inwhich b. both the contrarotating members of the feeding means and thecontrarotating members of the discharge means are limitedly movabletoward and away from the path of movement of the articles, and c. eachof the said resilient means normally urge each of the respectivecontrarotating members of the feeding means and the discharge meanstoward each other.